Patriots shrug off wet weather to win big against Bills

Torrential rains and slippery conditions — no problem for the New England Patriots. Even the Patriots’ fumbles bounced their way all game long. The AFC East champions took care of business on Sunday, sewing up the second seed in the playoffs with a 34-20 victory over the Buffalo Bills at a soggy Gillette Stadium.

Torrential rains and slippery conditions — no problem for the New England Patriots.

Even the Patriots’ fumbles bounced their way all game long.

The AFC East champions took care of business on Sunday, sewing up the second seed in the playoffs with a 34-20 victory over the Buffalo Bills at a soggy Gillette Stadium.

Running back LeGarrette Blount practically carried New England on his back all game.

“Obviously, it was a tremendous game by LeGarrette (Blount),” Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said. “Clearly the best player on the field. He had a tremendous day.”

The 250-pound star rushed for a career-high 189 yards on 24 carries and scored two touchdowns. Blount accumulated 334 yards of all-purpose yards. It is the most yards all-purpose in a single game in New England history.

“I’m truly blessed and I give the Lord of God all the credit for the situation I’m in,” Blount said. “I’m just trying to make the best of it.”

Afterward, Blount and Belichick shared a special moment at game’s end with hugs for one another.

“Just the fact is that we came out with the win, we get this first round bye, and this is my first postseason in the league,” Blount said. “All played a factor into the emotion of the game. I was happy. I was just happy he (Belichick) gave me a chance to come here and contribute.”

But Blount wasn’t the only hero of the game.

Place kicker Stephen Gostkowski broke the Patriots single-season franchise record for most points in a season after his 35-yard field goal gave the Patriots a 27-17 lead with 7:57 remaining in the game.

He recorded 14 points on the day to give him a league-best mark of 158 points to move ahead of Gino Cappelletti’s old mark of 155 set in 1964.

Gostkowski also broke his own mark for most field goals in a season (38).

“That is about as tough of conditions as you can kick in,” Belichick said. “I thought Ryan (Allen) did a great job of getting the ball down and Danny (Aikens) of course snapping it and Stephen kicking it. These are not easy kicks. Stephen did a good job.”

Then there was Julian Edelman.

Edelman became the 10th Patriots player to register a 1,000-yard season receiving. He also became the third player in club history with more than 100 catches. Edelman joins Wes Welker (five seasons) and Troy Brown.

“I don’t think there’s ever any question about Julian’s skill, his toughness or his competitiveness,” Belichick said. “He’s been able to stay on the field and certainly his production has paralleled his time on the field. He’s done a good job with his opportunities.”

Page 2 of 2 - The Patriots finished the season with a 12-4 record and their sixth perfect 8-0 mark at home in the Belichick era. Cincinnati and New Orleans were the only other team in 2013 to finish unbeaten at home.

So the Patriots will now get the rest they truly deserve.

Only time will tell from here on in.

“I mean you play hard to put yourself in a position and we’re here now in this position,” quarterback Tom Brady said. “It’s a good spot to be in. But we’ve got to go out there and take advantage of it.”